


Heartbeat

by jensening



Series: Chasefield Adventures [5]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Hospitalization, Hospitals, Sleep, Worry, powers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-06
Updated: 2015-09-06
Packaged: 2018-04-19 09:27:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4741268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jensening/pseuds/jensening
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max's powers have gotten the best of her. A clueless Victoria sits by her bedside.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Heartbeat

Max sits in the hospital bed, asleep, pale, breathing shallow. She's so white Victoria finds it hard not to stare, and she reaches out and grabs Max's limp hand in her own, grasps it tightly, so tightly she's hoping to make up for the strength Max has lost.

Victoria should have noticed something was wrong. The nosebleeds had been getting worse, not better; Max had just been lying to her to make her feel okay. It's a thought that makes Victoria shake her head in distaste, bobbing her head down slightly in sadness. Sadness – because this is just who Max is, what she does, and she has always protected Victoria. It is selfless, and makes Victoria want to cry.

Max has yet to wake up. When Victoria had found her late last night she had been so cold and limp, collapsed on her bedroom floor with a nosebleed that had stained the carpet; the blood was so dark, and Max was so pale. Kate had been next to her, fallen to her knees next to Max and attempting to shake her awake, again and again, crying, until Victoria had pulled her from Max and called an ambulance, all the while trying to remain composed. Kate wasn't exactly the most stable of people, and Victoria acting up would have made things worse.

Victoria, naturally, had ridden in the ambulance. She didn't care what it looked like to Nathan or the other students, she just wanted Max to be okay. To be safe.

She had remained composed until Max was safe in the hospital, wrapped up in the off-white blankets of her new bed. And then she had cried. Wetted Max's new, comfortable bed, and smacked her hand against her head so many times in an attempt to compose herself. She had told Max so many things she had never told anyone else. And Max had also understood, seemed to understand more than Victoria could know. That was maybe what hurt the most: Max had secrets that she wasn't telling Victoria, and maybe if she hadn't kept these damn nosebleeds a secret –

Maybe…maybe then…

But it is useless to think so. Max, no doubt, had good reasons for keeping things secret. Some things people were better off not knowing.

And, as much as Victoria had hated doing so, she had called Chloe and told her what had happened and where to find them. Max would've wanted Chloe to know, and so Victoria acted, despite knowing the hostilities Chloe would throw her way; it wasn't like she was aware Max and Victoria were dating. How could she expect kindness? Victoria knew she wasn't a nice person.

"That's why you have to get better, Max." Victoria whispers, so quietly she barely takes a breath. "You're a much better person than I am."

Max's heartbeat remains steady, and her eyes remain closed.

But that was also why it hurt so much more when Chloe had shown up, the swelled-up sadness in her eyes. Chloe clearly knew a lot more than Max was willing to tell Victoria, and that really fucking hurt.

But she is alone now, and Chloe isn't here. It's just her and Max.

Victoria waits for Chloe to show. They had agreed on a rotation, so both could eat and change clothes, but when Chloe arrives and silently takes Victoria's place, grabbing Max's hand, Victoria doesn't leave. Instead, she drags herself out into the waiting room and forces herself into one of the seats. She will not go home whilst Max is unconscious. She will stay here until it's time to switch again.

Just as she had done earlier today. And just as she will do tomorrow.

*

She wakes up with her head on Max's bed, a hand gently stroking her head.

"Max…" she mumbles, and curls the blankets around her fingers, the fumble of sleep still on her mind.

She gets no reply. Victoria sighs, but it's deep and heavy and it makes Victoria's eyes fill with tears. But then she wonders who is stroking her head, and her reaction to this fleeting question is so fast – her head flinging upwards and her body rigid with hope – that Victoria is dizzied as she stares at Max – as she stares at an awake Max, chomping on jelly and looking at Victoria with her soft, beautiful blue eyes, her hand falling from Victoria's head and hitting the mattress uselessly. She looks healthy, if still mildly pale.

"Maxine!" Her voice is shocked. She fumbles for Max's hand and, when she has it, she grips it tightly and showers it in kisses.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Max says and Victoria laughs exhaustedly because that's what she should be saying to Max.

"I love you." Victoria blurts and Max smiles a wicked, wide, gleeful smile because Victoria has never said that, always been a bit awkward with feelings, but she says it now, loud and proud, and Max's heart explodes.

Victoria hears the heartbeat monitor fasten.

"I love you, too." Max replies, gently. Quickly, Victoria stands, leans forward, and captures Max's lips in a large, grateful kiss. She tastes of raspberry jelly, and the kiss is fast but slow, filled with urgency but remains gentle.

Max's heartbeat monitor goes faster, still. Victoria smiles smugly.

"Looks like you enjoy my kisses." She breathes, inches from Maxine's lips.

Max is breathless. "I've been without them for a day or so. So, yeah."

Victoria kisses her again and steals more of her breath away. "Don't do that again."

Max nods. "Never again, Ma'am."

They kiss again. The room is silent, except for the overly excessive beating of the heartrate monitor. It's a surprising comfort.

*

"Doctor, room 312's heartrate monitor is beating out of control," the nurse says as she follows the doctor up the hall, eager to catch up. "should I go and check it out?"

"312?" the doctor replies. "I'll go. Maxine is my patient; she woke up this morning. She's probably just a little run down."

But both go together. And when they arrive at the open door, and move to step in, both doctor and nurse immediately freeze into place. Maxine, her patient, is being straddled by that blonde girl who's always at Max's bedside, having the life kissed out of her. It's desperate and loving, and the doctor feels as if she's intruding.

"Well," the nurse says, a smirk on her face. "She's not run down, but maybe a little excited."

"Leave 'em to it." The doctor says and turn away like nothing has happened. But the nurse sees the doctor's light blush, and as they walk away, she feels a playful smile pull on her face.

"Didn't know you were so awkward about intimacy, doc."

The doctor could only flush. She'll go back later…when they're less… _busy._


End file.
